One month

In one month, school will start...my second year (and hopefully final year) of grad school. I am nervous. This past weekend I got into one of my "ohmygoshschoolisgoingtostartsoonwhyismysummeralmostover????" freakout modes. And my summer is basically already planned out for me. And it's not very eventful. Next weekend I'll go to Erie, my mom wants me in town for this party that they're throwing. The following weekend I'll also be in Erie for a wedding. The week immediately following that weekend (Aug 8-12), I will be on vacation. Doing what, may you ask? I don't rightly know, I just knew I needed to take a break before school started so I asked my adviser for a week off of work. I will spend the first few days enjoying my Erie time, seeing some friends, going to the beach, maybe Waldameer or an 8 Great Tuesday, and then I will subsequently get bored by Wednesday. The boy wants to meet me in Erie after the weekend, perhaps we'll catch a sunset.

Should I go on a trip after that from Wednesday-Sunday? I don't know where I'd go... and my car isn't in that great of shape. I should get it checked out, actually. It feels like the "little engine that could" chugging away slowly every time I accelerate up the tinyest incline, and I know it didn't always do that. I guess I can afford to fix it since I had a job this summer. But still, I don't want to. :-(. Fixing a car takes time, and I have to use my car the next few weekends! Maybe when school starts I can drop it off at a dealership and just not go anywhere for a few weeks while they fix everything that's wrong with it. That window that doesn't close is becoming an issue too...it rained a lot yesterday.

Anywhoo, the Monday that follows is the Monday that all the new grad students start their orientation. Poor little kids. Which means the Monday following that (or maybe Tuesday...I honestly don't know what day classes start yet haha) is when classes officially begin! Which means my summer will officially be over. I only have 2 more Ultimate Frisbee games left before it's all over. Boo. Hiss. Boo. It's been a good ride, I've quite enjoyed this summer. It's been more relaxed than most I've had.

However, there are a lot of up sides to this school year as opposed to last. I know what to expect. I already have really awesome friends. I have a smoking hot boyfriend. I don't have to learn how to navigate a new town. My classes will be EASIER this time around (I am taking two 400-level classes instead of two 500-levels, YES). I will not have Dr. Talmage's fluids class. I will not have to be a TA. I don't have to go to Tuesday seminars. I have a church with people who love me. There will be new people in my lab, who hopefully will bring good attitudes and happiness to the atmosphere. I will hopefully be able to keep dancing. I will ride my bike for as long as it's warm enough. I will have less homework than before. And honestly, based on the position my research was in at the end of the school year compared to now, I will be working less than I did then. Or at least, I will feel less rushed because at this point I have a really good groove that I've gotten into. I will live free knowing that my adviser no longer expects me to go for a PhD, and that she's totally okay with it. She's actually surprised me a lot the past few weeks by telling me I've been doing a good job. I don't know if it's because I look like I'm stressed out when I talk to her or if I actually am doing a good job, but getting that feedback makes my job much more enjoyable.

The one down side to this year than last is that I will be more stressed out because I will have to start focusing on the thesis part of my graduation. I don't yet have a thesis topic. Ugh.

Summer is over. I'm still sad about it. If you'd like to comment and suggest mini-vacations that I can take for a few days from August 10-13, feel free :-).